Rents are 3% below what Wauwatosa's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,680 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Wauwatosa usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.6% above it in July, about $55 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Wauwatosa is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2018.
Rent in Wauwatosa changed +4.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 42 Wisconsin cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Wauwatosa rose 31.2% while median household income rose 22.8% ($82,392 to $101,138). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Wauwatosa is 37.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($101,138) is $2,528 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,880).
West Allis, 3 miles away, rents for 14% less ($1,445/mo), about $2,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Wauwatosa. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Wauwatosa, WI is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 64% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Wauwatosa, WI has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Wauwatosa, WI has increased by $420 per month, settling near $1,680 after starting the period at $1,260. Household income in the area moved from $90,420 to $101,138 across the same window, up 11.9% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 21.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 48,072 to 48,529 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.0% change. About 39.2% of households rent today, against 36.6% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 60.6% to 64%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Wauwatosa, WI look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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At $1,680/mo, how Wauwatosa rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Wauwatosa rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Wauwatosa. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Wauwatosa
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Wauwatosa is $1,680/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,035/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,390/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,165/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,725/mo.
At 20% of local median household income ($101,138/yr), Wauwatosa ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,680/mo, rent takes ~20% of Wauwatosa's median household income ($101,138/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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